DeathCare (.com)

The Department of State has taken disciplinary actions against 80 licensed or commissioned professionals and organizations since July, acting Secretary of the Commonwealth Basil L. Merenda announced today.

A comprehensive list of sanctions imposed by the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs is available online at www.dos.state.pa.us; click on “Licensing” and then “Disciplinary Actions” from the left-hand side of the page.

Each entry includes the name of the respondent, the license number (if any), the respondent’s last known business address registered with the department, the sanction imposed, a brief description of the basis for the disciplinary or corrective measure, and the effective date.

Anyone who suspects unlicensed activity by an individual or facility, or who has been a victim of unethical treatment, can file a complaint either online or through the bureau’s hotline at 1-800-822-2113.

The bureau’s 29 boards and commissions license more than 780,000 active professionals and businesses. They oversee a range of occupations in health and business-related fields, including auctioneers, barbers, chiropractors, engineers, funeral directors, nurses, nursing home administrators, optometrists, pharmacists, physicians and many others. The bureau provides resources and guidelines to its licensees to encourage high-quality services to the public.

If any professional holding a Pennsylvania license is found by a board or commission to have violated either state law or that board’s regulations, the board or commission can impose disciplinary action against that licensee. Disciplinary actions may include civil penalties and the suspension or revocation of a license.

Find important information for each of the bureau’s 29 boards and commissions, including the current newsletters and regulations governing licensees, at www.dos.state.pa.us or by calling 717-265-7764.

Filed under: Death Care News on August 31st, 2010 | No Comments »

A shirtless super-fan paints his body blue and dies from hypothermia before anyone notices, but at least he met his maker while supporting his favorite team! A coke addict sneezes while snorting a line and dies when the metal straw jams into her brain – moral of the story? Just say no to drugs.

Spike TV continues to look at the brightly ironic side of death in an all-new third season of the hit series, “1000 Ways to Die” from renowned producer Thom Beers’ Original Productions, a FremantleMedia Company. The new season premieres on Tuesday, September 14 at 10:00pm ET/PT on Spike TV.

The premiere episode of “1000 Ways to Die” features the bizarre incidents:

• a self-liposuction gone wrong
• a woman with massive implants gets struck by lightning
• a man relieves himself in the Amazon when a fish swims up his urethra
• a nature lover attempts CPR on road kill

Other outrageous deaths to look forward to this season include:

• death by hairball
• a compulsive hoarder trapped by his own collection
• a basketball player left hanging while showing off his slam-dunk skills
• a Korean foodie whose feast on a live octopus specialty is his last
• death of the escape mastermind Houdini, who wasn’t able to escape an untimely demise

“1000 Ways to Die” showcases some of the most outrageous true stories about those who succumbed to the grim reaper in the most unorthodox of styles. Each case takes viewers through a fast-paced full reenactment interlaced with dramatic witness testimonials, fun historical tidbits, scientific expert explanations and vibrant CGI effects reminiscent of classic comic books. Playing off the commonly misconceived notion, “that could never happen to me,” “1000 Ways to Die” works to dispel the myth in a tongue-in-cheek fashion, highlighting the comedic irony in all the crazy ways people can get themselves killed. For the new season, Spike TV will expand its scientific explanations for the subjects’ untimely demise so viewers can avoid such an unfortunate fate and will also take a look back through history to explore the causes behind notorious deaths of well-known figures.

Leading up to the third season premiere and throughout the new season, Spike.com will feature sneak preview clips from “1000 Ways to Die.” Full episodes and clips from the show will be available online after each episode premieres.

Acclaimed producer Thom Beers (”Deadliest Catch,” “Ice Road Truckers” and “Ax Men”), Philip D. Segal, Nathaniel Grouille and Tom McMahon of Original Productions serve as executive producers for “1000 Ways to Die.” Sharon Levy is Spike TV’s executive vice president of original series and Tim Duffy is vice president of original programming for Spike TV.

Founded by Thom Beers, Original Productions produces authentic non-fiction programming featuring everyday heroes in extraordinary situations including “Deadliest Catch,” “Ice Road Truckers,” “Ax Men” and “Black Gold.” Beers’ steadfast focus on top-notch storytelling with engaging personalities in high risk circumstances has produced more than 1,200 hours of original programming. In February 2009, a majority stake in the 12 year-old-company was purchased by FremantleMedia, one of the leading creators and producers of world-wide entertainment brands.

Spike TV is available in 98.6 million homes and is a division of MTV Networks. A unit of Viacom (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:VIA.B) , MTV Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.

Filed under: Causes of Death, Death & Dying, Death Investigation on August 30th, 2010 | No Comments »

Forensic Laboratories, a Denver-based laboratory specializing in toxicology services for drug and alcohol abuse, has announced the expansion of its oral fluid testing capabilities. The company is the first lab in the nation to develop an analytical test capable of detecting Ethyl Sulfate (EtS) in saliva, a chemical produced by the body after alcohol exposure. Forensic Laboratories’ new test method will also simultaneously detect Ethyl Glucuronide (EtG).

For criminal courts and parole officers who monitor for abstinence, the ability to test for EtG and EtS orally offers a simple method to detect alcohol exposure and provides supplementary defensibility in conjunction to ethanol testing. Additionally, some scientific publications suggest that EtG and EtS may be detectable for longer periods of time than ethanol. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) technology is used for the screening and confirmation of the oral fluid test result.

“Our mass spectrometry division, headed by Dwain Irvan, was one of the first to offer the quantitation of both EtG and EtS in urine,” said Dr. James Ruth, Forensic Laboratories’ laboratory director. “Now we are the first to offer EtS in oral fluid.”

Forensic Laboratories’ experience with EtG and EtS analysis in urine, coupled with peer-reviewed publications, suggest EtS is a superior bio-marker to EtG due to the potential for bacterial degradation or contribution of EtG.

Forensic Laboratories’ oral fluid technology — PAINpro(TM) — allows pain management specialists to test orally for drug monitoring. Forensic Laboratories introduced PAINpro(TM) in January 2009.

Oral testing offers multiple advantages including easy, non-invasive collection that potentially eliminates adulterated or substituted samples. In minutes, a sample is produced with direct observation without the necessity of gender-dependent collectors.

Forensic Laboratories is a centralized laboratory based in Denver with more than 20 years of toxicology experience. Certified by the Department of Health and Human Services Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment (CLIA), Forensic Laboratories utilizes the highest standards of testing and reporting methodologies available to the industry. Founded in 1986, the company continues to expand testing services for drugs of abuse in multiple biological matrices. The company is an industry leader in Web-based remote data entry and Web-based reporting tools designed to increase the efficacy of drug testing. For more information, visit www.forensiclaboratories.com or call 800-282-6574.

Filed under: Death Care News, Death Investigation on August 11th, 2010 | No Comments »

The Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC) announced today that the Department of the Army has accepted in principle the organization’s pro bono offer to provide assistance in the assessment of the information technology requirements to rectify the unacceptable state of the records at Arlington National Cemetery. This effort stems from an Army investigation earlier this year that found the Cemetery’s record keeping in shambles, burial records on index cards, improperly marked graves and serious difficulties in accurately locating the graves in the cemetery. All these issues persisted despite spending more than $5 million on a program to digitize burial records that has shown no results.

In response to public reports of this serious problem to record keeping, the following 15 NVTC member companies have volunteered their assistance to constitute an assessment group: ACS, a Xerox Company; Blue Canopy; Booz Allen Hamilton; CACI; CGI; Consumer Electronics Association (CEA); Corporation for National Research Initiatives; CSC; IBM; Lee Technologies; MAXIMUS; Microsoft; MITRE; SoltechOne; and Vistronix.

“The NVTC membership is eager and willing to support the U.S. Army as it responds to this difficult situation. We want to ensure that we honor the women and men who served their country and, in many cases, gave the ultimate sacrifice for this nation. We are united in our willingness to support Senator Warner in his efforts to remedy this crisis,” said George C. Newstrom, President and COO of Lee Technologies and former Secretary of Technology for then-Governor Mark Warner.

“NVTC is made up of the country’s most well respected and innovative technology companies and this collaborative pro bono effort demonstrates their loyalty, compassion and admiration for those who served in the armed forces, many making the ultimate sacrifice,” said Bobbie Kilberg, President and CEO, NVTC. “We applaud Senator Warner for his leadership in trying to resolve this important matter. NVTC looks forward to working under the direction of Army Secretary McHugh and his team to help assess Arlington Cemetery’s technology requirements. It is an honor and privilege to be involved.”

The Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC) is the membership and trade association for the technology community in Northern Virginia. As the largest technology council in the nation, NVTC serves about 1,000 companies from all sectors of the technology industry, as well as service providers, universities, foreign embassies, non-profit organizations and governmental agencies. Through its member companies, NVTC represents about 200,000 employees in the region. NVTC is recognized as the nation’s leader in providing its technology community with networking and educational events; specialized services and benefits; public policy advocacy; branding of its region as a major global technology center; initiatives in targeted business sectors and in the international, entrepreneurship, workforce and education arenas; the Equal Footing Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity that serves local area youth; and The Entrepreneur Center @NVTC which mentors new technology entrepreneurs. Visit NVTC at www.nvtc.org

Filed under: Cemeteries, Death Care News on August 10th, 2010 | No Comments »

Steuernol & McLaren Funeral Homes of West Branch are celebrating their 100th anniversary by doing what they do best: giving back to the community. They are hosting the appearance of Reflections: The American Funeral, a mobile museum of historical funeral customs, during the Ogemaw County Fair in Michigan. This museum can provide citizens the opportunity to learn about the rich traditions of how we mourn the loss of loved ones.

Reflections: The American Funeral will be on display at the Ogemaw County Fair from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Tuesday, August 17, through Thursday, August 19. The handicap-accessible exhibit is free and open to the public.

“We’ve been privileged to comfort and serve the community for 100 years,” says Terry McLaren, Owner. “That’s a milestone that we’re proud of and a tradition of service that we’ll continue for many years to come. The appearance of this thought-provoking mobile museum will educate our citizens on how we honor the lives of our loved ones, from veterans to celebrities to historical figures.” Steuernol & McLaren operate funeral homes in West Branch, Rose City, and Saint Helen.

From the cross-country funeral procession for Abraham Lincoln to the national outpouring of grief for Elvis Presley, America has a storied history of mourning the dead. Reflections: The American Funeral explores those mourning traditions, beginning with Native American burial mounds and ending with the diverse rituals practiced across the country today. It is spread out across 1,000 square feet of thoughtful display areas:

• “Arlington National Cemetery” honors our country’s veterans and the more than three million Americans buried in our national cemeteries.
• “Glory, Glory Hallelujah” showcases President John F. Kennedy’s riderless horse — empty boots reversed in the saddle — trotting briskly in his funeral procession and civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks, who was the first woman to lie in state at the Capitol Rotunda.
• “The Lord is My Shepherd” is a poignant tribute to fallen public safety officers killed in the line of duty.

Produced by St. Clair Shores, Mich.-based MRA, it’s earning high praise from everyone who experiences it. “Awesome!” “Great educational tool!” “Amazing! Brings out a lot of things we don’t think about.” “Very, very moving.”

“There are intriguing stories of funeral practices throughout the centuries and this exhibit educates people on those stories and enables them to connect to the universal human experience of death,” says Harry Kurtz, President of MRA, a leading mobile exhibit producer. “The displays on Arlington and fallen public safety officers move people to tears.”

Reflections: The American Funeral has been touring across the United States since Summer 2008, stopping at state capitols, universities, veteran events, and mortuary schools, funeral homes and industry conventions. During January 2009 Inauguration celebrations, both Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C., and Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine in Baltimore, MD, hosted it. Early this year, the exhibit was on display in front of the Capitol Building in Washington D.C.

Reflections receives support from the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA); the American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE); the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice (APFSP); Federated Funeral Directors of America (FFDA); and Kates-Boylston Publications.

Please visit www.ReflectionsAFT.com to learn more and see a Calendar of Events.

Filed under: Death Care News, Traditions on August 6th, 2010 | No Comments »

The Highmark Caring Place has served more than 60,000 grieving families and community members since the first location opened in Pittsburgh in 1997. Since then, additional facilities have opened in Erie, Lemoyne and Warrendale, Pa. To further extend the reach of the facility-based support services available to children and families in need, the Caring Place has launched a redesigned website to assist families in need who are unable to participate in onsite activities.

“For more than 13 years, we have been helping grieving children and families, and we have discovered the need to expand and enhance the services to those who need us, but don’t live close to one of our community-based facilities,” said Caring Place Director Terese Vorsheck. “Our enhanced website highlights the role of the Caring Place, and it provides a variety of useful tools and reference materials for families and professionals who seek grief and bereavement resources.”

The new site, www.highmarkcaringplace.com, has information available for individuals grieving the death of a loved one and for others who seek information on how to support a grieving child or adult. Site features include:

• A video tour of the Caring Place
• Special sections for grieving children and teens
• Volunteer opportunities
• Starting a Caring Team for Children
• “In their words” stories from those who have walked the road of grief
• Commemorating the Caring Place’s third annual Children’s Grief Awareness Day on Nov. 18, 2010
• Reference materials in Spanish

The Highmark Caring Place, A Center for Grieving Children, Adolescents, and Their Families, provides peer support groups, referral services, adult telephone support and educational programs and resources for grieving children and families. In addition, consultation services, as well as educational presentations and resources, are available for schools and other professionals in the community who work with children. The Highmark Caring Place is a community resource, offering services at no charge to grieving families from throughout the community.

The Highmark Caring Place is a signature partner of Highmark Healthy High 5, an initiative of the Highmark Foundation, which aims to reverse the current trends in children’s health and to promote lifelong healthy habits in children.

For more information about the Highmark Caring Place visit www.highmarkcaringplace.com or call 1-866-212-4673.

Filed under: Death Care News, Grief and Grieving on August 4th, 2010 | No Comments »

CHARGE Syndrome Foundation

A Springfield-based hospital, along with four of its doctors, were sued by a couple who alleged their late daughter’s organs were removed without their consent. The medical malpractice lawsuit was filed March 26 in Hampden Superior Court, according to a Sunday, July 11, 2010 Boston Herald report.

Reports indicated 7-month-old Kaylee Marie Drolet died March 31, 2007 after struggling with CHARGE syndrome for the majority of her short life.

According to the CHARGE Syndrome Foundation, “The letters in CHARGE stand for: Coloboma of the eye, Heart defects, Atresia of the choanae, Retardation of growth and/or development, Genital and/or urinary abnormalities, and Ear abnormalities and deafness. Those features are no longer used in making a diagnosis of CHARGE syndrome, but we’re not changing the name.”

The lawsuit contended doctors at Baystate Medical Center (BMC) performed an autopsy, removing several organs, without the required consent of next of kin. “Her heart is somewhere else. Her body is somewhere else. It’s really messed up and really cruel,” said 24-year-old Matthew Drolet, Kaylee’s father.

Kaylee’s mother, 26-year-old Samantha Martino, claims a Baystate doctor sought consent for the autopsy minutes after her daughter’s death. However, Martino maintains she told the doctor to come back later with regard to the matter. The doctor reportedly did not return.

The devastated parents only found out about the incident when their funeral director called them, informing them that Kaylee was missing organs.

Baystate spokesperson Jane Albert alleged the autopsy was performed only after obtaining adequate consent, via the phone. Albert noted there were two Baystate employees on the phone when Martino allegedly gave verbal consent to the autopsy and organ removal. “The hospital’s policy for autopsies is consistent with Massachusetts rules and regulations and does include phone consent,” Albert added.

While Baystate contested the claims, Drolet and Martino, both of Chicopee, are seeking unspecified damages for “pain, suffering, and emotional distress.” Baystate and four unnamed doctors were named as defendants in the suit.

The case continues.

Filed under: Death Care News, Death Investigation on July 31st, 2010 | 1 Comment »

A funeral during the Siege of Sarajevo in 1992.

The loss of a child is devastating. According to a University of the Rockies research study, bereaved parents consider grief therapy to be mildly effective at best and ineffective at worst.

For her doctoral dissertation at the graduate school specializing in psychology, Julia A. Lesselyong was inspired to explore how clinicians can improve the quality of treatment for parents who have lost a child. She observes that most bereaved parents are psychologically healthy people who have been struck by tragedy.

In 2006, Lesselyong’s brother was in a fatal skateboarding accident. Through her family’s struggles, she is striving to create meaning and goodness out of the tragedy. While her study focuses on professional clinicians, it also provides insight for friends and family.

Participants in the study reported that some expressions of support or responses from others were not helpful. Each of the parents interviewed said the most unhelpful, if not detrimental, response from people trying to be supportive was to say “I know how you feel,” especially when they had not lost a child themselves.

Parents also described that they felt people avoided them or were reluctant to respond with brief expressions of sympathy. One participant described this as, “People just look at you differently. You get looks…a visual connection like ‘Aw…those people just lost a child. I don’t want to deal with that.’”

One of the questions addressed “Recovery from Grief.” Responses varied, but there was a common theme that the term “recovery” should more accurately be replaced by “adjustment” to grief. “What I’ve learned is that grief doesn’t go away,” one participant said. “It walks beside you. You learn to live with it.”

Support from family and friends were considered most advantageous when it consisted of listening and offering little advice. Most participants said it was helpful to grieve at their own pace with no time limits.

In closing, Lesselyong’s study says, “Therapists can be instrumental in helping bereaved parents manage and adjust after the loss of a child. Most clinicians will never fully understand the experience of bereaved parents. However, by being a respected, educated participant in the grief process, they can help improve the quality of life for parents after the death of a child.”

University of the Rockies is a graduate school specializing in master’s and doctorate degree programs in psychology. Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (www.ncahlc.org), classes are offered online and at the University’s Colorado Springs, Colorado, campus.

Filed under: Death & Dying, Deathcare Training, Grief and Grieving on July 29th, 2010 | No Comments »

Pet owners often joke about pets being like vacuum cleaners literally eating anything put in front of them. Unfortunately, that lack of dietary discretion too often results in pets ingesting toxic substances, emergency visits to the veterinarian, and large medical bills.

Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. (VPI), the nation’s oldest and largest provider of pet health insurance, has analyzed its database of more than 485,000 insured pets to find the sources behind the hundreds of poisoning claims submitted to VPI every month. Following is a ranking of the nearly 20,000 pet poisoning claims VPI received between 2005 and 2009:

• Accidental Ingestion of Medications (pet or human drugs): 5,131
• Rodenticide (mouse & rat poison): 4,028
• Methylxanthine Toxicity (chocolate, caffeine): 3,661
• Plant Poisoning: 2,808
• Household Chemicals: 1,669
• Metaldehyde (snail, slug poison): 396
• Insecticide: 323
• Heavy Metal Toxicity (lead, zinc): 288
• Toad Poisoning: 270
• Antifreeze Poisoning: 213
• Walnut Poisoning: 100
• Alcohol Toxicity: 75
• Strychnine: 28

VPI policyholders spent more than $6.6 million between 2005 and 2009 treating their pets for poisoning. Accidental ingestion of pet or human medications, the most common type of poisoning, cost policyholders an average of $791 per claim. The most expensive type of poisoning, heavy metal poisoning, cost an average of $952 per claim.

“Not only can a poisoning incident be life-threatening for the pet, it’s traumatic for the pet owner as well,” said Dr. Carol McConnell, vice president and chief veterinary medical officer for VPI. “Depending on what substance the pet has ingested and the amount, the reaction can be sudden with the animal exhibiting alarming symptoms such as staggering, vomiting, drooling, seizures, and even loss of consciousness. We recommend that pet owners be aware of which items around their homes can be harmful to their pets — medications, insect poisons, chocolate, and certain nuts — and keep these items safely out of reach. Also, they shouldn’t assume that their pets will ignore that bottle of bleach in the laundry room or the Philodendron plant by the window. Our data shows this just isn’t so.”

In addition to taking steps to avoid poisoning emergencies, pet owners should be prepared for such an emergency should it arise. For example, owners should keep the phone number of their pets’ regular veterinarian and a phone number for an emergency veterinary hospital handy at all times. For more information about pet poisoning prevention and poisoning first-aid, please visit the Pet Poison Helpline at www.petpoisonhelpline.com.

Filed under: Death Care News, Pet Loss on July 27th, 2010 | No Comments »

In response to the “graying of America” phenomena, Senior Smart announced today the inception of http://www.assisted-living-info.org/, an online tool that provides the perfect match between families and seniors actively looking for assisted living and quality assisted living facilities nationwide.

The senior population, in this country and around the world, is growing and changing. For example, it is expected that in the next 40 years the senior population in this country will grow by 147 percent.

They preceded Generation “X”: the baby boomers, those born in the U.S. between 1946 and 1964, are approaching retirement age. The oldest baby boomers turned 60 in 2006, and when the trend peaks in 2030, the number of people over age 65 will soar to 71.5 million — one in every five Americans.

Obviously not all of these seniors will require assisted living care, but are we ready to address the multitude of services needed to provide for this group of consumers adequately?

“This country is ill-prepared to handle the tens of thousands of senior citizens in need of assisted living or home hospice care,” states Mary Jo Leste, an 18-year industry veteran and Chief Executive Officer of Senior Smart, Inc., a marketing company specializing in assisted living and home hospice referrals.

A recent study by the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) and funded by the MetLife Foundation reports the following:

• Health Care – In one-third of the U.S. communities surveyed, older adults do not have access to a range of needed preventive health care services such as health education, community-based health screenings, and counseling about prescription drug programs.
• Nutrition – Eighty percent of U.S. communities have programs providing home-delivered meals for older adults, but only 25 percent provide nutrition education for seniors.
• Exercise & Wellness – More than one-third of communities do not have fitness programs for older adults, although 86 percent report having biking or walking trails.
• Transportation – Many communities are not addressing the mobility needs of an aging population. For example, only 56 percent reported having “dial a ride” or door-to-door transportation services, and only 40 percent reported having road signage that meets the needs of older drivers.
• Public Safety/Emergency Services – More than 33 percent of communities do not have a system to locate older adults who become ill or wander due to Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. And 70 percent do not have prevention programs for elder abuse and neglect.
• Housing – Only half of the communities reported having home modification programs helping older adults adapt existing homes for physical limitations. The study says this is important because a vast majority of older adults prefer to remain in their own homes as they age.
• Taxation/Finance – More than a third of communities do not provide tax relief for older adults living on limited incomes.
• Workforce Development – Over 40 percent of U.S. communities do not offer formal job training and retraining programs to help older adults remain in the workforce, however 45 percent reported that discounts were provided at local colleges and universities for older adults who are interested in taking classes.
• Financial Planning and Retirement
• Aging/End of Life/Human Services – Many communities do not offer a single point of entry for information and access to all aging services, even though it is expected that aging baby boomers will demand it.

Filed under: Death & Dying, Death Care News on July 25th, 2010 | No Comments »